Was Indiana a real racist state at one time?

[Daylin Byak]

Last night, I watched the most horrifying documentry on A&E...The history of the Ku Klux Klan and it looked like how they were talking that Indiana was a big Klan state outside the south. It then talked about the second birth of the Klan and during that period of time the Klan had political power and you couldn't get elected without there endorsement and how in one election got a majority of Klan supporting republicans elected in the state legislature and a Republican Governor elected in Edward Jackson.

I can't believe this is true.

[DrGonzoLives]

1. Oregon was the same way

In fact, most states had racist laws, they just persisted longer in the South.

[hippiechick]

2. Yepper, it's true ...

... and many would insist that there's still an 'institutional racism' that pervades the state's mentality, too ... for example, the common belief that one could be arrested for 'driving while Black' in Carmel (a wealthy, primarily white Indy suburb).

:shrug: I'm not sure what I think ... I guess I see more 'hostility at everyone who's not me' around Indy lately than at any specific target group.

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

5. I think the carmel thing is more about class

I'm white and have been pulled over in carmel for being an outsider. 11pm on a friday night a 12 year old car at the time that had Marion County plates on it was the reason no doubt. Also was followed once about 9pm on a saturday night from a Taco Bell in mooresville all the way to the county line by a a cop. I think that was an outsider thing as well.

[Voltaire]

3. At ONE time?

Yeah, like 5 minutes ago. This is still a very racist state, and I've lived in a lot of states.

[LisaLynne]

4. Yes, it's true.

There's a lot of info about it on Wikipedia. There is some big KKK weirdo who lives out in the county near where I live and he's always trying to have big rallies. One year, the news freaked out about it, a huge counter-protest was organized, and then only like (literally) 10 people showed up for the KKK rally, so I think the dude just gave up. There is still a lot of racism in Indiana, but I think that's unfortunately true any where. But, we do have an unfortunate history in this state.

[Dembo98]

6. You guys are nuts!

I have lived in Carmel and Indiana for 80% of my life. Carmel is a great place to live and so is Indiana. We are the midwest and still have midwestern ideals, which basically means we don't like stupid people doing stupid things. We are very common sensical (word?) Every state has a few skeletons in the closet but we don't dwell on it. The police are tough on everybody...everybody. And guess what... everybody knows that and we have a better community because of it.

[izzybeans]

7. We live in a real racist country. Indiana is no different. Except it

has below median level demographics when it comes to diversity.

[tulip]

8. Yes KKK in NW Indiana

They are very active in NW Indiana. Not only do they cause problems in NW Indiana they cross the border into Ohio to cause problems.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-03-klan-attack_x.htm?csp=34

former Ku Klux Klan leader who held a Louisville television news crew hostage in his home seven years ago was found severely beaten after apparently getting into a fight with his son.

Jeffrey Lynn Berry of Harlan was listed in critical but stable condition in a Fort Wayne hospital after the attack Saturday at a home east of Spencerville, Indiana.

Police believe his son, Anthony, is responsible for the attack. However, no arrests have been made at this time.

Police say Jeff Berry sustained internal head injuries in the fight.

Berry formerly led the DeKalb County-based American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. He pleaded guilty in 2001 to charges that he held WHAS TV reporter George Sells IV and camerawoman Heidi Thiel against their will in November 1999.

He spent three years in prison before being released in 2004.